Before You Were Mine (AQA GCSE English Literature)

Revision Note

Author

Each poetry anthology at GCSE contains 15 poems, and in your exam question you will be given one poem - printed in full - and asked to compare this printed poem to another. As this is a closed-book exam, you will not have access to the second poem, so you will have to know it from memory. Fifteen poems is a lot to revise. However, understanding four things will enable you to produce a top-grade response:

The meaning of the poem
The ideas and messages of the poet
How the poet conveys these ideas through their methods
How these ideas compare and contrast with the ideas of other poets in the anthology

Below is a guide to Carol Ann Duffy’s poem 'Before You Were Mine', from the Love and Relationships anthology. It includes:

Overview: a breakdown of the poem, including its possible meanings and interpretations
Writer’s Methods: an exploration of the poet’s techniques and methods
Context: an exploration of the context of the poem, relevant to its themes
What to compare it to: ideas about which poems to compare it to in the exam

Exam Tip

'Before You Were Mine' is part of the Love and Relationships anthology of poems, and the exam question asks you to compare the ideas presented in two of these anthology poems, specifically related to the ideas of family relationships and love.

It is therefore as important that you learn how 'Before You Were Mine' compares and contrasts with other poems in the anthology as understanding the poem in isolation. See the section below on ‘What to Compare it to’ for detailed comparisons of 'Before You Were Mine' and other poems in the anthology.

Overview

In order to answer an essay question on any poem it is vital that you understand what it is about. This section includes:

The poem in a nutshell
A ‘translation’ of the poem, section-by-section
A commentary of each of these sections, outlining Carol Ann Duffy’s intention and message

Before You Were Mine in a nutshell

Before You Were Mine, written by the poet Carol Ann Duffy, is a direct address to a mother reflecting on their life before and after they were a parent. She explores the adult child’s imagined view of her mother as a younger woman as vibrant and free from responsibility to highlight the restrictive element of parenthood.

'Before You Were Mine'

Lines 1-2

“I'm ten years away from the corner you laugh on

with your pals, Maggie McGeeney and Jean Duff.”

Translation

The poem begins directly addressing the speaker’s mother
The speaker refers to her mother’s friends meeting her on a corner
However, she explains that she has not been born yet; her mother will have her in ten years time, indicating the description is of a much younger woman

Duffy’s intention

The poet begins with a description of her mother as she was ten years before she became her parent
Her colloquial reference to her mother’s “pals” presents her mother, and their relationship, as relaxed and friendly

Lines 3-4

“The three of you bend from the waist, holding

each other, or your knees, and shriek at the pavement.”

Translation

The speaker describes the younger woman, before she was a mother, as lively and fun

Duffy’s intention

Duffy imagines her mother as a vibrant woman before motherhood to highlight the independence and freedom she had

Line 5

“Your polka-dot dress blows round your legs. Marilyn.”

Translation

The speaker addresses her mother, describing her as Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe, a famous actress, was renown for her glamour and vitality
However, her life was cut short: perhaps Duffy implies motherhood ruins youthful glamour and vitality

Duffy’s Intention

Duffy’s speaker reflects on the freedom and beauty which was once her mother’s before she became a mother by describing her as a glamorous actress whose life was cut short

Lines 6-7

“I'm not here yet. The thought of me doesn't occur

in the ballroom with the thousand eyes, the fizzy, movie tomorrows”

Translation

Here, the speaker explains this was before she was born
Her mother has not even considered motherhood as she is having too much fun

Duffy’s intention

Duffy uses vivid imagery to describe the mother’s future as a young woman, unrestricted by the responsibilities of motherhood
The short sentence, “I’m not here yet” foreshadows that motherhood may change things

Lines 8-10

“the right walk home could bring. I knew you would dance

like that. Before you were mine, your Ma stands at the close

with a hiding for the late one. You reckon it's worth it.”

Translation

The speaker talks directly to her mother: her mother was out late dancing and she was punished with a “hiding” (a beating) when she got home
She implies her mother enjoyed dancing so much the punishment was “worth it”

Duffy’s intention

Here, Duffy presents an intimate relationship between daughter and child
She uses an imagined anecdote to present her mother as rebellious and lively

Lines 11-12

“The decade ahead of my loud, possessive yell was the best one, eh?

I remember my hands in those high-heeled red shoes, relics,”

Translation

The speaker explains that the following decade, after she became a mother, was different: her sarcasm suggests she believes it was not as good as life before
She explains how possessive she must have been as a child: taking over the shoes her mother used to dance in and yelling selfishly

Duffy’s intention

Duffy presents an alternative perspective of motherhood

The speaker believes she restricted her mother’s life once she was born
Her mother needed to take care of her instead of dancing

Lines 13-15

“and now your ghost clatters toward me over George Square

till I see you, clear as scent, under the tree,

with its lights, and whose small bites on your neck, sweetheart?”

Translation

The speaker addresses her mother as a ghost, referring to her absence in the daughter’s life
However, the daughter’s close relationship continues as she imagines seeing her mother and talking with her

Duffy’s intention

Duffy presents an intimate conversation between the daughter and her dead mother

She speaks directly to her as a younger woman
She suggests that as an adult she can understand her mother better now

She sees her as an individual

Lines 16-17

“Cha cha cha! You'd teach me the steps on the way home from Mass,

stamping stars from the wrong pavement. Even then”

Translation

The speaker remembers her mother teaching her how to dance on the way home from church

Duffy’s intention

The speaker’s memory describes her mother as rebellious even as a mother

She danced on the way home from church on the “wrong pavement”
The broken line implies “Even then” could also refer to her younger mother

Lines 18-17

“I wanted the bold girl winking in Portobello, somewhere

in Scotland, before I was born. That glamorous love lasts

where you sparkle and waltz and laugh before you were mine.”

Translation

The speaker tells her mother she wanted the spirited, fun nature of her mother
She says that the glamour of her mother remains in the memory of her youth

Duffy’s intention

Duffy presents the daughter’s feelings here: she wishes her mother was more like she was when she was younger
She acknowledges her birth changed her mother and restricted her freedom to be more fun-loving

Exam Tip

Your exam question will ask you to compare how poets present ideas about love and/or relationships in the poem given to you on the exam paper and one other from the Love and Relationships anthology. It is therefore a good idea to begin your answer using the wording of the question and summarising what the poem tells us about the nature of love or relationships. This demonstrates that you have understood the poem and the poet’s intention. For example, “Carol Ann Duffy presents ideas related to independence within family relationships. Similar themes can be found in…”

Writer’s Methods

Although this section is organised into three separate sections - form, structure and language - it is always best to move from what the poet is presenting (the techniques they use; the overall form of the poem; what comes at the beginning, middle and end of a poem) to how and why they have made the choices they have.

Focusing on the poet’s overarching ideas, rather than individual poetic techniques, will gain you far more marks. Crucially, in the below sections, all analysis is arranged by theme, and includes Carol Ann Duffy’s intentions behind her choices in terms of:

Form
Structure
Language

Exam Tip

The last thing examiners want to see is what they call “technique spotting”. This is when students use overly sophisticated terminology unnecessarily (“polysyndeton”; “epanalepsis”), without explaining their analysis.

Knowing the names of sophisticated techniques will not gain you any more marks, especially if these techniques are only “spotted” and the poet’s intentions for this language is not explained. Instead of technique spotting, focus your analysis on the reasons why the poet is presenting their ideas in the way that they do: what is their message? What ideas are they presenting, or challenging?

Form

Carol Ann Duffy’s poem is an informal, personal conversation between the narrator and her mother. The poem’s conversational tone and direct address explores the responsibilities of parenthood as the narrator reflects on her mother as an unrestrained younger woman.

Theme	Evidence	Poet’s intention
Intimate family relationships	The poem is a direct address to the mother as the speaker (the daughter) reflects on her mother’s life before she was born: “I'm ten years away from the corner you laugh on”	Duffy immediately begins her poem back in time to speak to her mother as she was before her daughter was born: this offers an alternative perspective to parenthood
	The speaker’s tone is conversational She uses imagery and enjambment to create a sentimental mood: “The thought of me doesn't occur/in the ballroom with the thousand eyes” She uses colloquial and personal references throughout the conversation: “with your pals, Maggie McGeeney and Jean Duff.”	Duffy’s poem uses references which are known to the mother and daughter and their past which create a tone of nostalgia as the speaker reflects on her mother’s youth
	Carol Ann Duffy’s poem is a wistful conversation to her mother, not only as the speaker imagines her mother’s past, but as she herself remembers her mother

Structure

The regular structure of the poem conveys a speaker with composure. Although her poem does not evidence this, Duffy has explained that the poem was written while looking at a photograph of her mother, suggesting a reflective tone. Duffy conveys a pragmatic acceptance of the nature of motherhood as the daughter revisits her mother’s past.

Theme	Evidence	Poet’s intention
Acceptance and distance	"Before You Were Mine" is a poem of 4 regular stanzas with similar line lengths There is no rhyme scheme which contributes to the conversational nature of the poem Caesurae are used to add dramatic effect: “I’m not here yet. The thought of me” and “Cha Cha Cha! You’d teach me the steps”	Duffy presents the daughter’s composure to show her balanced emotions, presenting a theme of acceptance despite the distance between the parent and child Duffy’s speaker is calm as she remembers her mother: she speaks naturally, with breaks in voice to show her reflective tone
	The poem begins and ends on an image of her young mother laughing before she became a parent The present tense verbs suggest this moment lives on but only in memory: “ten years away from that corner you laugh on” to “where you sparkle and waltz and laugh before you were mine.”	Duffy’s ending suggests the mother’s vibrant nature ends when her daughter was born, suggesting a sympathetic acceptance of the reality of motherhood
	Duffy’s speaker portrays the distance between her and her mother by describing an imagined memory in her mother’s youth, and as she reflects on this, she accepts her role in changing her mother’s life

Language

Carol Ann Duffy uses vivid imagery to bring to life the imagined memory of her mother , in a poem which pays tribute to her mother as a woman outside of her role as a parent. The informal tone of the poem conveys the intimate bond between parent and child.

Theme	Evidence	Poet’s intention
Family relationships	Rich vivid imagery describes her mother’s youth before she was a parent to show her life as vibrant and fun She refers to a glamorous actress to make connections between her mother and Marilyn Monroe: “Your polka-dot dress blows round your legs. Marilyn.” She describes her mother’s future as exciting: “the fizzy, movie tomorrows”	Duffy shows her mother’s life as exciting and filled with promise to contrast the way her life changes when she becomes a mother: Duffy implies the woman is free before parenthood
	The poet uses colloquial phrases and references to speak directly and specifically to her mother and to describe her as rebellious: “your Ma stands at the close/with a hiding for the late one. You reckon it's worth it.	Duffy implies her mother was punished for being a spirited and rebellious woman, which presents a sympathetic perspective
	However, in the final stanzas, Duffy’s speaker refers to events later in her mother’s life, once she became a parent: “on the way home from Mass, stamping stars from the wrong pavement.”	The speaker shows her mother as still spirited despite her responsibilities, which presents a positive depiction of her mother and shows the love between them
	Duffy presents a positive perspective of her mother as a bright and exciting woman
	Duffy’s poem uses language which connotes to the possessive nature and responsibilities of motherhood She repeats the line “Before you were mine” to imply the continuous nature of ownership The speaker uses sarcasm to refer to the role of motherhood: “my loud, possessive yell was the best one, eh?”	Nevertheless, Duffy’s speaker acknowledges the changes motherhood brings: she uses possessive pronouns to indicate the unrelenting nature of dependent children
	Duffy’s presentation of motherhood presents the restrictive aspects of motherhood and presents an alternative perspective about family relationships

Exam Tip

Try not to separate “language”, “form” and “structure” into three separate elements you need to include in your answer. To achieve top marks, you need to include an integrated comparison of the themes and ideas in this and the other poems in the anthology, and focus on the relevance of the method used by the poet to the ideas in the poem(s).

This means it is better to structure your answer around an exploration of the ideas and themes in the poems, commenting on elements of language, form or structure that contribute to the presentation of these themes, rather than simply listing all of the key methods you think should be covered when writing about poetry (with no analysis or exploration of their relevance to the themes and ideas). Stay focused on the task, and then choose your comments based on the focus of the question.

Context

Examiners repeatedly state that context should not be considered as additional factual information: in this case, it is not random biographical information about Carol Ann Duffy or facts unrelated to the ideas in Before You Were Mine. The best way to understand context is as the ideas and perspectives explored by Carol Ann Duffy in Before You Were Mine which relate to family love and relationships.

This section has therefore been divided into two relevant themes that Duffy explores:

Family relationships

Carol Ann Duffy’s poem, Before You Were Mine, is from a collection of poems called ‘Mean Time’, which explores themes of childhood, memory, love, and time

This poem explores ideas regarding youth and memory as Duffy delves into an imagined moment from her mother’s past life as a young woman
The poem references polka-dot dresses, ballroom dance halls, and Marilyn Monroe which suggests the mother is a teenager during the 1950s
Duffy was born in 1955, so “ten years away" could imply the speaker is a teenager when she writes the poem to her mother

Duffy’s poem explores the nature of youth at a time when the idea of being a ‘teenager’ was a new concept

Society was beginning to recognise adolescence as separate from childhood
Her depiction of her mother as a rebellious young woman shrieking and laughing on the corner with her pals celebrates the new freedom young people were beginning to enjoy at the time

Before You Were Mine considers the changing role of women and therefore comments on feminist perspectives

The speaker’s mother stays out late, flirts and draws attention to herself
In 1950s England, this behaviour would oppose the stereotypical female
Women's roles were still restricted and it was expected that females adopted the role of mother and wife above all else
Duffy’s poem offers a critical view of the way motherhood restricts women

Distance and acceptance

Carol Ann Duffy, Poet Laureate in the UK between 2009 and 2019, wrote 'Before You Were Mine' to reflect on the distances between parent and child

Her dramatised scene of a moment from her mother’s past explores a daughter’s perspective on a distant version of her mother
The poem explores a daughter’s pragmatic acceptance of a mother’s absence, in this case, because of death

Duffy refers to her mother as a “ghost [which] clatters toward me over George Street”

The modern poem, however, presents a personal conversation between mother and daughter which implies the mother’s continued presence in her daughter’s life, alluding to the power of the family bond

The speaker tells her mother, “I see you, clear as scent,”

Exam Tip

Remember, AO3 is only worth up to 6 marks in this question. You will be expected to demonstrate your understanding of the relationship between the poem and the context in which it was written in an integrated way, throughout your answer. It is therefore important to focus on the key themes, and have a thorough knowledge of the cluster of poems.

Context comes from the key word in the task, so your answer should emphasise the key themes of the effects of desire and love. Writing a whole paragraph about Carol Ann Duffy is not an integrated approach, and will not achieve high marks.

What to compare it to

The essay you are required to write in your exam is a comparison of the ideas and themes explored in two of your anthology poems. It is therefore essential that you revise the poems together, in pairs, to understand how each poet presents ideas about love or relationships, in comparison to other poets in the anthology. Given that Before You Were Mine explores the ideas of family relationships and distance, the following comparisons are the most appropriate:

For each pair of poems, you will find:

The comparison in a nutshell
Similarities between the ideas presented in each poem
Differences between the ideas presented in each poem
Evidence and analysis of these similarities and differences

Exam Tip

You will be expected to not only explore this poem in depth, but make perceptive comparisons to themes, language, form and structure used in other poems in the anthology that also comment on family relationships, love and distance. It is therefore important that you have a thorough knowledge of all of the poems, rather than just memorising a series of quotations. It is also essential that you not only write about the named poem, but compare it to one other in the anthology. Only writing about the poem given on the paper will severely limit your marks.

'Before You Were Mine' and 'Eden Rock'

Comparison in a nutshell:

Both Carol Ann Duffy’s 'Before You Were Mine' and Charles Causely’s 'Eden Rock' present speakers who remember their parents warmly. They both speak of the bond which remains between parent and child after death. While Carol Ann Duffy’s poem is a personal direct address from a child to a mother, Charles Causely’s poem is detached, representing the isolation the child feels in the absence of their parents.

Similarities:

Topic sentence	Both speakers describe their parents positively as younger people suggesting their significance in the children's lives
Evidence and analysis	'Before You Were Mine'	'Eden Rock'
	Duffy’s speaker is calm as she remembers her mother, suggesting the mother’s role in her life as positive Lines of enjambment create a sentimental tone A regular structure contributes to the stable tone	Similarly, Charles Causely’s first-person speaker sounds calm as he remembers his parents Enjambment creates a calm and nostalgic tone which presents the memory as comforting The regular structure shows the stabling influence of his parents
	Duffy’s speaker describes her mother in vivid imagery, connoting excitement and fun She describes her laughing, dancing and shrieking in a “polka-dot dress” The reference to Marilyn Monroe connotes to her vitality	The speaker here uses positive imagery to describe his parents as they once were as younger people He describes his mother spreading a “stiff white cloth”, with a “ribbon in her straw hat” He describes his father in “Genuine irish tweed”
	The mother is presented as supportive in her role: “You'd teach me the steps”	Similarly, Causely presents a child’s perspective of his parents as reassuring and guiding, shown through their communication to him despite their distance: “'See where the stream-path is!/Crossing is not as hard as you might think.'”
	Duffy and Causely both pay tribute to their parents by showing them as young and vibrant, as well as supportive parents

Topic sentence	Both poets illustrate a family bond which continues after death
Evidence and analysis	'Before You Were Mine'	'Eden Rock'
	Duffy communicates with her mother despite her absence The conversational tone in the direct address shows the intimate bond between parent and child: “I knew you would dance like that”	Causely communicates with his parents in a dream-like state of remembering a family event: “They beckon me from the other bank/I hear them call”
	Duffy’s poem suggests the bond lasting beyond death: “your ghost clatters toward me over George Square” Sensory imagery is used to depict the vividness of the imagined meeting with her mother: “till I see you, clear as scent, under the tree”	Similarly, Causely’s poem explores the close connection of family bonds as he speaks with his distant parents His parents are “on the other bank” across “a drifted stream” connoting to the afterlife Sensory imagery connotes to the hallucinatory quality of his memory: “her hair, the colour of wheat, takes on the light”
	Both Duffy and Causely explore the way speakers experience powerful memories as a way to connect with distant parents

Differences:

Topic sentence	While Carol Ann Duffy’s poem ends with a speaker who accepts the mother’s absence, Charles Causely’s poem ends with a speaker unable to accept the distance between him and his parents
Evidence and analysis	'Before You Were Mine'	'Eden Rock'
	The speaker is able to separate herself from the memory The poem ends in a cyclical manner, returning to the image of her mother laughing The poem ends with resolution as the daughter leaves her mother in the past:“That glamorous love lasts/where you sparkle and waltz and laugh before you were mine.”	Here, the speaker’s unresolved longing for his parents presents a speaker who is caught in the past The poem ends with a single line, separated from the rest of the poem to show the speaker’s return to reality He conveys his surprise at the emotions the separation from his parents still brings: “I had not thought that it would be like this.”
	The speaker is able to imagine her mother as a woman before parenthood, presenting an alternative, more realistic perspective Duffy’s speaker imagines her mother free from her “possessive yell” when she is “Marilyn”	Causely’s speaker remembers a specific memory of his parents as young adults, which suggests he sees them like that still The natural imagery shows them as idealised and virtuous: “My mother, twenty-three, in a sprigged dress/drawn at the waist”
	Both poets explore the strong bond between parent and child and the security they provide, however Duffy’s poem presents a speaker able to accept a more realistic version of the role of parenthood, whereas Causely depicts a more idealised version of the speaker’s parents and still mourns their absence

Exam Tip

It is a good idea to outline your choice of second poem in your introduction to your response, with a clear overview of the overarching themes within both poems. You can then use the theme to move between both poems to provide the substance to illustrate your arguments. However, this does not mean that you cannot focus on one poem first, and then the other, linking ideas back to the main poem. You should choose whichever structure suits you best, as long as comparison is embedded and ideas for both texts are well-developed.

'Before You Were Mine' and 'Follower'

Comparison in a nutshell:

This is an effective comparative choice to explore changing roles in family relationships. Both Carol Ann Duffy’s poem 'Before You Were Mine' and Seamus Heaney’s 'Follower' deal with complex dynamics of intimacy and independence between a parent and child.

Similarities:

Topic sentence	Both poems explore family relationships through speakers who remember their parents in their younger years
Evidence and analysis	'Before You Were Mine'	'Follower'
	Duffy’s poem explores the emotional impact of absent parents by imagining a moment from her mother’s past Duffy’s vivid imagery and colloquial language describe a night out which exemplifies the freedom and fun of her mother’s life before she was a parent: “with your pals” “holding each other, or your knees, and shriek at the pavement.”	Similarly, Heaney’s poem centres around a significant memory of a father in younger years The semantic field of rural farm-life (“plough”, “furrow”, “sod”) shows his vivid recollections of his simple childhood The imagery is personal: “Sometimes he rode me on his back”
	Duffy presents her mother as exciting and vibrant: “Your polka-dot dress blows around your legs” She is responsible yet still spirited once she becomes a parent: “Cha Cha Cha! You’d teach me the step”	Seamus Heaney’s speaker also shows his father positively in his memory Verbs describe him as an “expert”: “His eye/Narrowed and angled at the ground” He presents his father as a role-model: “I wanted to grow up and plough,/To close one eye, stiffen my arm.”
	The speakers both explore family relationships by describing their parents when they were in their prime, in memories, imagined or real

Differences:

Topic sentence	While both poems show a close family bond, Carol Ann Duffy’s poem focuses around a distant memory of her mother as a young woman, free and unconstrained, before she becomes a parent, while Seamus Heaney’s poem focuses on a son’s need to follow in his father’s footsteps
Evidence and analysis	'Before You Were Mine'	'Follower'
	The poem explores distance in the relationship between a daughter and mother in a reflective first-person conversation: “Your ghost clatters toward me”	Heaney’s poem presents the speaker’s father in a more detached third-person voice, yet the parent remains close by The continuous verb in “It is my father who keeps stumbling” The dependence of the father on his son still continues: he is “Behind me, and will not go away”
	Duffy offers an alternative view on motherhood She presents the mother as a rebellious young woman, opposing stereotypical attitudes of the time and staying out late dancing with her “pals”: “your Ma stands at the close/with a hiding for the late one. You reckon it's worth it.”	Heaney’s poem illustrates traditional family values The father is “an expert” and “exacting” The son wished to continue his father’s legacy: “I wanted to grow up and plough”
	Both poems discuss family love, however Duffy’s speaker addresses a distant, subversive mother about an imagined moment in her youth, while Heaney’s speaker explores his feelings regarding the ongoing presence of his traditional father in his life

'Mother, Any Distance' and 'Before You Were Mine'

Comparison in a nutshell:

Both Carol Ann Duffy’s poem Before You Were Mine and Simon Armitage’s poem Mother, Any Distance present the perspectives of children reflecting on distance between parent and child and acknowledging the changing nature of family relationships. However, Duffy’s poem considers her mother as an individual before she was a mother, whereas Armitage’s poem considers the role of his mother in his life.

Similarities:

Topic sentence	Both poems present perspectives of adult children directly addressing their mothers
Evidence and analysis	'Before You Were Mine'	'Mother, Any Distance'
	Duffy’s poem directly addresses her mother Her tone is informal yet authoritative, taking on the tone of an adult child remembering her mother as a younger woman: “and whose small bites on your neck, sweetheart?”	Armitage’s poem, too, is a direct address to his mother He uses a formal address, “Mother”, to present his respect for her, as well as the changing, more distant, relationship as he becomes an adult
	The speakers convey the personal bond between parent and child with adult speakers who talk directly to their respective mothers, while acknowledging the distance which occurs as children grow up
	Duffy’s speaker reflects on her mother as a mentor and presents her poem as a eulogy: “You'd teach me the steps on the way home”	Similarly, Armitage’s speaker acknowledges his mother’s supportive role in his life: “You come to help me measure”
	The poems both comment on the powerful, supportive influence of mothers in family relationships

Similarities:

Topic sentence	Both poets present speakers who comment on dependence within family relationships
Evidence and analysis	'Before You Were Mine'	'Mother, Any Distance'
	Duffy’s speaker explores the possessive element within family relationships: “The decade ahead of my loud, possessive yell” The poet also relates this idea with repetition of the line: “Before you were mine.”	Armitage’s poem also presents the possessive nature of parental bonds His mother’s fingertips “still pinch” as she holds on to the bond between them He compares the security of her role as an “Anchor”, rooting him and restricting him
	The poets comment on the idea of dependence between parents and children, recognising the restrictions this can bring within family relationships

Differences:

Topic sentence	Carol Ann Duffy’s poem presents a speaker aware of her mother as an individual, not just in her role as a parent, while Simon Armitage’s speaker reflects on his mother’s role in his life
Evidence and analysis	'Before You Were Mine'	'Mother, Any Distance'
	Duffy’s speaker reflects on her mother’s imagined past before she had a child, using vivid imagery: “where you sparkle and waltz and laugh before you were mine.”	However, Armitage’s poem depicts a day when a son’s mother helps him move into his own home He refers to her support and help as they measure the rooms and floors with a semantic field of measurement: “centimetres”, “metres”, “span”
	Duffy describes her mother as a younger woman, free of parental responsibilities: “The thought of me doesn’t occur” She describes her mother’s actions with verbs which imply she is liberated and vibrant: she would “dance”, “laugh” and “shriek”	Armitage’s poem is a personal reflection which describes his own actions: “I reach”, “I space-walk” He describes his mother’s role as responsible parent with continuous verbs: “recording”, “reporting
	Both speakers reflect on their parents, however Duffy’s poem describes her mother in an imagined event from her past, while Armitage’s poem reflects on a son’s feelings toward his mother

Exam Tip

You can choose whichever poem you feel you are able to make the most in-depth comparisons to in the exam. For example, you could choose to compare the presentation of independence in family relationships in 'Mother, Any Distance' and 'Follower'. Or you might wish to explore the idea of intimate family love in 'Eden Rock' and 'Before You Were Mine'. What is important is that you view the poems thematically, with a clear emphasis on love and relationships. This will give you a better framework in which to write your response in the exam.

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Before You Were Mine (AQA GCSE English Literature)

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Author: Sam Evans